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Hobart's Poem

BERBERA HMAS HOBART 7th September, 1940

Found amongst the effects of 'Wombat'  Frank Sutton - who was serving aboard Hobart during the Berbera evacuation - he recorded events and feelings for the ship's Newsletter.  Note: The Hobart gunners were not killed. Months later all three were released unscathed when an Italian POW camp was captured. THREE GALLANT MEN


'Twas August 1940 and the war was at it's height;
When the Hobart steamed to Berbera to prove its 6" might
We brought with us two other ships, chock full of men and stores.
We thought right then that we were tops, we'd teach those Dago hordes.

English soldiers, Punjabs too, men both black and white,
Were landed by the Hobart's crew, by day and then by night.
Great praise was due to all boat's crews who worked so hard.
At last we got them all ashore, their work was then to start.

Although the Dagos bombed us at daylight, dawn and dusk,
They never even hit us, as we thought they really must.
We all admit those bombs were close, too close for us in fact.
But Hobart's guns kept them up too high to be exact.

Now all the time our hopes were high, we'd got a plane or two.
We'd seen our soldiers go ashore, and they would fight we knew.
From where we lay we'd seen the hills over which we knew they'd go
But till then we'd never guessed. Oh, how could we know.

Way up in Margarshee our troops were sorely pressed.
Along the coast to Zeila we had to give them best.
Nowhere could we hold them, those fighting Dago hoards.
Everywhere we did our bit, but all went by the board.

And then there came a signal, a gun was needed bad.
A gun to stop the Dago tanks complete with sailor lads.
No sooner had the word gone round, than names went in galore.
But out of these they picked just three, three men to go ashore.

These gallant men with gun complete were landed on the shore.
Little did we know just then, we'd see those men no more.
And off they went beyond those hills towards those dirty Dago scum.
Their confidence was at its peak, they'd put them on the run.

They got to their position, emplaced the gun and then
They wait for dawn to break, those three brave sailor men.
They'd placed the gun to command a pass, as they thought for the best.
Alas for them, too close at hand was a Dago machine gun nest.

When dawn broke, we knew for sure they fired with unerring aim,
Their shells among the Dagos to kill them and to maim.
But all the time the machine gun fire was creeping up ahead
The Dagos kept up firing till they knew our lads were dead.

"Evacuate" was signalled next, "Take off civilians first".
This job was done with outward calm, despite the bombs that burst.
Again our boats were called upon to do a job of work!
By day by night they worked like hell, there wasn't a one that shirked.

Next came the soldiers, but different men they seemed,
Nothing like those we put ashore, we remembered how they beamed.
How they stepped ashore laughingly turned and said:
"We'll see you later sailor lads, when all the wops are dead".

They didn't know what waited them behind the hills so bare.
Man to man they'd have held their own, but more than that was there.
The Dagos they were three to one, and tanks they had galore.
If you don't have arms that equal you'll never win a war.

Back they fought to Berbera, brave men one and all;British soldiers, Punjab soldiers, with their backs against the wall.
Gradually their ranks broke up, were scattered far and wide
And we picked them up along the roads, with rifles by their sides.

From off the desert they blindly came some more dead than alive.
They struggled to the waters edge for drink they vainly strive.
They even crawled on hands and knees they couldn't cry enough,
Considering what they'd all gone through, by gad those boys were tough.

We took them off the jetty, we took them off the beach.
We took them off just every place where e'er our boats could reach.
No preference given to black or white, to us they were soldiers all.
We took them to the waiting ships, then back to shore for more.

And there came the strugglers a ghastly sight to see,
Who'd been wandering round the desert for days on end maybe.
No drink, no food, no rest, no sleep, and death so close at hand.
And they'd kept the spark of life, Oh what a gallant band.

Then came the injured, with limbs so ripped and torn
Who never even murmured whilst from the shore they were borne.
But how they must have suffered, only they can tell.
Perhaps they thought how good it was to get back out of hell.

The Hobart stayed another day, perhaps a soul or two
May stagger from the desert, there might be just a few.
Who were trying hard to reach their goal, the deep blue cooling sea,
Where they knew the Hobart lay at rest, and their hopes of rescue be.

All through the night we waited, we picked up just a few,And dawn came bright, and into our sight there came another two.
We lowered a boat and took them off, my God they were a sight,
And we on board just thanked the Lord we'd waited another night.

And came the order to haul up boats and wait
While glasses searched the shore again before it was too late.
But not a soul there could we see, we'd done our best for them.
So the Captain gave the order "Train the guns on Berbera men".

From where we lay at anchor we picked out spots ashore.
We blasted buildings out of sight, by God our guns did roar.
We razed the town to ruins, a shambling burning pile
So when the Dagos get there they won't live there awhile.

We steamed out down along the coast, our glasses on the shore
Perhaps we'd see a straggler, but our lookouts saw no more.
So we turned to seaward our hearts as heavy as lead.

We lost three pals at Berbera, three gallant lads were dead. We don't forget them on our ship, they gave their lives 'tis true
They left behind a memory they fought for me and you.
All three men were single, so how proud their folks will be
In years to come, as they speak of their Son as one of The Gallant Three.

We don't forget them on our ship, they gave their lives 'tis true
They left behind a memory they fought for me and you.
All three men were single, so how proud their folks will be
In years to come, as they speak of their Son as one of The Gallant Three.